1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 19 



thirty-two per cent is made up largely of sand, soil, alumina, 

 magnesia, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid and chlorine. 



In his thirteenth annual report, 1885, page 364, Professor 

 Goessmann says carbonate of lime contains fifty-six parts of 

 calcium oxide (lime) and forty-four parts of carbonic acid. 

 Therefore, we find that lime contains two of the leading con- 

 stituents of leaf tobacco ; namely, lime and carbonic acid, 

 which Professor Johnson found in larger relative proportions 

 than any other single element excepting potash. 



Considering the limits of the time assigned me, I have 

 confined my attention to only a few of the fertilizer materials 

 which I think from my experience are of greatest usefulness 

 and profit in the production of special farm crops. Time 

 will not permit me to speak of the many excellent fertilizer 

 compounds manufactured in this country, presuming also 

 that you are familiar with their history and usefulness. 

 Neither is it necessary to take up your valuable time in 

 the consideration of the other fertilizer material not men- 

 tioned, with which we have been practically familiar in times 

 past. Perhaps it is not necessary for me to say that I can 

 give you but a bare outline of my experience with fertilizers 

 in the limits of this paper. The conditions of success in 

 farming, at the present time, largely depend upon the careful 

 saving of animal manures and liberal use of commercial 

 fertilizers. 



Commercial fertilizers are constantly growing in favor 

 with all successful farmers of my acquaintance. To grow 

 crops successfully for the early markets, they are highly 

 valued ; and their use is considered absolutely essential in 

 open cultivation, to stimulate the rapid growth of special 

 crops. The condition of early maturity of crops which the 

 judicious use of fertilizers will enable the farmer to realize, 

 serves also to insure him against the risk of frost, so often 

 in this latitude destructive to crops of backward growth. 

 This fact has been obvious to our farmers the present 

 year. In my native town we have harvested one of the 

 largest and soundest crops of corn known for several years, 

 while in some sections of the State there is general complaint 

 of much unsound corn, owing to the cool summer and the 

 early frost. 



